Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Whistling Kites

I always enjoy an early morning walk along the bayside. Yesterday, I walked up to the saltmarsh area where the mist was still curling around the trees on the far side.
Although I could hear birds up in the trees none were down close enough for photos until I was almost back at the picnic area when I saw two Whistling Kites sitting in a tree. One was high up on a bare branch and the other was almost hidden in the tree leaves. The one in among the leaves flew off to another tree close by and let me get good views there. Then a very aggressive Spangled Drongo scolded and hassled the birds until both flew a little further off and sat together in the top of another tree. Both birds are juveniles showing the typical pale spots down the back and heavier streaks down the front.

4 comments:

  1. Magnificent birds. They look so haughty.

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  2. Hi John, they do don't they! Possibly because they know what power they have over everything smaller and slower.

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  3. Gorgeous, gorgeous birds Mick! I would love to see one of these beauties. You got some super photos of them. The last shot with both birds is really nice.

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  4. Thanks Larry - a matter of being in the right place at the right time - I've never seen both birds sitting together like that before!

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